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Stoneclaw
The Stoneclaw species (draco manus lapidis) is an offshoot species of the Skysaurs. They reside in the rocky canyons of Ninth-world, where rocky land is few and far between, separated by deep canyons and gullies. They are the only Skysaurs that will tolerate being ridden. Appearance The Stoneclaw Skysaurs are usually around 9 or 10 feet in length, with a wingspan of 18 to 20 feet. They have bodies with hide bearing the appearance of cracked stone, although it is in reality scaly hide. Their tails are long and bear a paddle-like appendage at the end, which aids in their marvelous control of movement. Stoneclaws, true to their name, have stony, hard claws, that are very sharp and are used for aid in climbing up out of the canyons. Their wings are strong and made for very controlled, graceful flight. Full-grown male Stoneclaws have curled horns on their heads just above their dots of ears, though these horns are small, straight and upright in females. They can be grey, reddish-brown, sandy-colored, brown, or even black, or any combination of those. Wild Stoneclaws have strongly venomous fangs, but many domesticated breeds either have them removed or have had them bred out completely. Growth Stages When Stoneclaws first hatch, they are, like most newborn Skysaurs, covered in tender skin, and they are only about six inches long. During their first days, their skin is still very fragile, but around the second week after their hatching it begins to harden into scales. During the same period of time their wing membranes thicken, although not all the way. The hardening of the scales and thickening of the wing membranes takes quite a long time, and it is around two months after the hatching that the Stoneclaws reach their fledgling stage. During the fledgling stage, they get larger and their scales harden to their final hardness. Their wing membranes thicken completely, and their claws lengthen and sharpen. The males begin developing their horns, so that by the time the fledgling stage is over (about six months after hatching) the males have completely grown the curled horns. By the time all of this is done, at about six months of age, they have reached flight-master stage. Diet Stoneclaws eat verdetebeast mainly. Location Stoneclaws live in the canyons and gullies of Ninth-world, the open space being suited to their large size. They dwell in nests on top of outcroppings and natural pillars, the nests being made of stacked stones and soft shed scales. Specialties Stoneclaw Skysaurs can carve the hardest stones with their claws, and even tear huge chunks of rock out of the canyon sides. They are the only Skysaurs, with some individual exceptions, that will tolerate being ridden. Some have become fully domesticated, though most still live half-wild. Few remain wholely wild, but some conservationalists stepped in recently to keep anyone from domesticing the remaining wild Stoneclaws. However, many are owned by riders of other species, especially Tokkora, who go to great lengths to capture them as they use them largely as a transportation method throughout Phoca cities. Category:Fauna Category:Skysaur Category:Predator Category:Danger High